A Banquet of Consequences
by Grrlnorth
Summary: Things always look different in the morning. SaraWarrick
1. Default Chapter

Spoilers: To the end of U.S. season 4  
Disclaimer: I own nothing.  
AN: Many thanks to Kes for the beta.

"Everybody, soon or later, sits down to a banquet of consequences." Robert Louis Stevenson

* * *

There's no distinction between night and day in Las Vegas. All kinds of pleasure and debauchery can be found for the willing, regardless of the time. As a result of this regional quirk, the curtains in Vegas hotel rooms need to completely block out the sun, providing a comfortable sleeping environment for their nocturnal guests. So though it is late afternoon, Sara is momentarily blinded when she creeps into the bathroom and turns on the lights. The glaring white and gold fixtures and tiles certainly don't help, and she squints as her eyes grow accustomed to the contrast from the other room.  
  
Looking at herself in the mirror, Sara is surprised to find that she doesn't look as bad as she thought she might. But then she didn't actually drink all that much; a few beer, and a couple shots of tequila. She was feeling good, but not drunk enough to leave her without control of her faculties. She knew what she was doing, and so did he. As she looks at herself more closely, she recognizes a difference in her appearance. She looks freshly fucked. Freshly and thoroughly fucked. Her lips are swollen, her eyes heavy-lidded, and there's a rosy glow to her cheeks that she would normally have to apply with a make-up brush. And if she's not mistaken, that's a bite mark on her collarbone. Jesus.  
  
She sits down on the edge of the tub, the porcelain cold on her bare thighs. In her hasty retreat to the bathroom, the only item of clothing she stumbled upon was his shirt, so she put it on. Fingering a clutch of wrinkles on the chest, she remembers grabbing a fistful of the dark blue material and pulling him to her.  
  
Hands roaming, bodies crushing. Lips pressing, tongues dueling. Clothes in disarray, a blue shirt unbuttoned before the 15th floor. Long legs wrapped around a waist, grinding heat. Fumbling for a keycard, a trail of clothes. Kisses. Caresses. Bodies sliding against each other, joining. Dizzying release. Entangled limbs. Sleep.  
  
Sara gets up quickly, agitated by the memories of the morning's events. She walks back to the mirror and shakes her head at her reflection.  
  
"What the hell do I do now?"  
  
Talking hadn't been their priority this morning as they urgently removed each others clothes, and Sara is unsure of his expectations, or even her own. Was it a one night stand, and how would that affect their working relationship? Was it more than a one night stand? Sara doesn't know which option frightens her more. Will she regret it? Will he?  
  
She hears movement in the other room, and figures that she will have the answer to her last question soon enough. She's not sure she's ready to face him yet, but there's no use delaying the inevitable. She takes a deep breath and tries to squelch the anxiety building within her.  
  
The hotel room is no longer dark, the curtains pulled back to reveal the blazing Vegas sunlight. She can see the translucent heat rising from the other buildings outside, but it's chilly inside, the air conditioner doing its job well. His back is turned to her as he looks out the window, and she's not sure if he heard the bathroom door open. She takes a moment to admire his silhouetted form. His arms are crossed in front of him, accentuating his broad shoulders. He is wearing a pair of jeans, slung low around the waist, and nothing else. She is tempted to wrap her arms around him and rest her cheek on the smooth skin of his back, but she doesn't.  
  
"Hey," she says quietly.  
  
Warrick turns around to face her, his expression characteristically unreadable. "Hey."  
  
"I uh... I borrowed your shirt." She's feeling self-conscious about standing there wearing nothing else, and reminding herself that he explored her body in detail earlier does little to ease her discomfort.  
  
"Looks good on you," he says. "I thought you'd left, at first." Sara notices his hesitation as he says this, and is surprised by the slight show of vulnerability.  
  
She shakes her head. She wants to tell him that she wouldn't, but the truth is that leaving had been her first impulse. But she fought the flight reflex, knowing it would only make things worse. Neither of them speak, and she desperately tries to think of something to say to break the awkward silence. Warrick beats her to it.  
  
"You on tonight?" he asks.  
  
"Yeah. You?"  
  
He nods. More silence.  
  
"Should we talk about this?" Sara blurts.  
  
"Yeah," he says, "but we've only got an hour and a half until shift starts. Do you want to grab breakfast after work?"  
  
She tries to decipher his state of mind by gauging his facial expression, but fails. He was a good gambler for a reason, and he's got his poker face on now.  
  
Sara nods. "I'd better go home and change."  
  
She begins to move around the room, picking up scattered articles of clothing. She can't find her bra, and her cheeks flush as she sees it dangling from Warrick's outstretched hand. By the lazy smirk on his face, it's obvious that he notices her embarrassment, and she knows it's a little silly to be shy about it when he's the one who took it off in the first place. But things always look different in the morning, and though the clock says it's almost evening, it's morning for a couple of CSI's on the graveyard shift. And she still doesn't know where things stand between them.  
  
Their fingers brush as she reaches out to take the bra, and the sensation makes Sara's heart beat a little faster. If a simple touch can make her feel like a schoolgirl with a crush, she wonders what working together is going to be like if this was a one-time thing. But as awkward as it would be to get past a one-night stand with Warrick, trying to balance a personal and professional relationship with him would be difficult too. She doesn't know what she wants, and she's glad that he's suggested waiting until after shift to talk. It gives her some time to think things over.  
  
Sara moves by rote as she gets dressed in the bathroom. Her mind is a million miles away, or more accurately, about five miles away at the lab. Her thoughts, as they often do, fall on Grissom. She wonders what his reaction would be upon learning of a personal relationship between two of his CSI's, and if she's completely honest with herself, she wonders what he would think on a personal level as well. After she asked him out to dinner, Grissom had made it fairly clear that nothing was ever going to happen between them. She had given him an ultimatum of sorts, telling him that it might be to late by the time he figured out what to do about it. She presumed that he would tell her when he had come to some kind of conclusion, but she shouldn't have, because this was Grissom after all. Months passed, and she started to accept his apparent decision not to pursue a relationship with her. She overheard him speaking to Dr. Lurie, the man they suspected killed Debbie Marlin, and he confirmed that though he cared for her, he wasn't willing to take the risk of being with her and all that it entailed. Any hope she had been hanging onto vanished, and she began to move on. But lately she has picked up a different vibe from him. Sometimes she thinks that maybe he's changed his mind, but she's not sure that it's what she wants anymore. She's not sure that it isn't, either.  
  
"That's why you don't fish off the company pier, Sara," she quietly chides herself. It's complicated to have feelings for your supervisor, which may or may not be mutual. But when you have what may or may not be a one-night stand with another co-worker, complication becomes chaos.  
  
Sara shakes her head and sighs as she picks up Warrick's shirt. She's exhausted from years of examining her feelings for Grissom, and now she's involved with another co-worker. What are her feelings for Warrick? There's obviously a strong attraction there, as they proved this morning. And despite a rocky start, their personalities compliment each other well. She reaches for the bathroom door, but stops herself as something occurs to her. She doesn't regret what happened. Whatever the ramifications may be, they'll have to deal with them. But the sex was fantastic, and Sara had just been frustrated for too damn long. She hadn't had anyone in her bed since Hank, and what a way to end a drought. She smiles as she remembers the string of curses that left her mouth as he brought forth one of the best orgasms she's ever had, and it's with a hint of that smile that she greets him, handing him his shirt. He looks at her oddly, his eyes tightening, and she knows that look. She's seen it enough times when they've questioned suspects. He's trying to figure out what she's thinking, analyze her smile.  
  
"I'll see you at work," she says as she picks her purse up from the table by the door, where she'd dropped it on their way through. He nods and she turns to leave, but is stopped as his hand circles her wrist.  
  
"Sara," he says. He pulls her to him and gives her a chaste, yet lingering kiss on the lips. "See ya."  
  
She smiles and leaves, the hotel room door clicking quietly behind her.  
  
"Hey!"  
  
Sara turns around to see Catherine trying to catch up with her.  
  
"Where's the fire?" Catherine asks.  
  
"I'm late," Sara says, agitated. She hates being late, but by the time she got home, showered and changed, she knew she wouldn't make it to the lab on time.  
  
"I know, it was shocking to us all," Catherine teases. "You're with me tonight."  
  
Sara slows down, her frenzied pace no longer necessary. "What've we got?"  
  
"DB in the desert. Warrick's with us too."  
  
"Okay," Sara says, trying to keep her tone normal. Her stomach does a little flip at the mention of his name. Catherine looks at her strangely, but doesn't say anything. "I've got to put my things in my locker."  
  
Catherine nods. "Yeah, I'll come with you. I have to go to mine too."  
  
"What's everyone else working on?" Sara asks conversationally, trying to distract herself from thoughts of Warrick.  
  
"They're still on the missing person's case, which is looking more like a homicide. They're pulling a double, but it looks like they've finally got a suspect. He was staying at the Hard Rock, and an eye-witness saw him dragging a large bag out of the elevator this morning. They're running tapes from the security cameras now."  
  
Sara stops dead.  
  
"Where was he staying?"  
  
"At the Hard Rock. Why?"  
  
Sara bolts in the direction of the A/V lab, leaving Catherine looking bewildered after her. As she reaches the door, she realizes that she's too late. Nick, Greg and Grissom are staring at the screen in shock.  
  
TBC


	2. Chapter 2

"Everybody, sooner or later, sits down to a banquet of consequences." - Robert Louis Stevenson

* * *

Earlier, at the end of the previous shift:  
  
"Hey Sara," Greg almost yells as she's about to leave his lab. She turns back around to face him, eyebrow cocked. "I almost forgot. Do you want to grab a drink after shift?"  
  
Sara begins to shake her head. She likes Greg, but he's asked her out before and she just can't see herself dating him. He's cute, but he's just a little too strange for her tastes.  
  
"Don't worry," he adds with that cocky little grin of his, "I asked Nick and Warrick too. We're all going."  
  
"I don't know, maybe. Where are you going?" she asks, considering it. It's been a very tiring shift, and though they're now into overtime, it's not over yet. She and Warrick are on the cusp of closing a murder/suicide, and she was thinking of just going home and crawling into bed. A drink with the guys might be nice, though, to take the edge off a hard night before going home to sleep.  
  
"The Hard Rock," Greg says with a grin.  
  
"The Hard Rock?" Sara repeats dubiously. "Isn't that kind of touristy?"  
  
"Nah, it'll be fun," he assures her. "Come on, live a little, try something new, roll with the homeys..."  
  
"Greg," she cuts him off, grinning despite herself. "Alright, I'll come."  
  
Sara walks into the Viva Las Vegas Lounge, and looks for the guys. She sees Warrick sitting alone at a table, and waves.  
  
"Hey," he says as she sits down.  
  
"Hi," she responds. She sees that he's got a half empty beer in front of him and wonders how he got there so quickly when they both finished up at the same time. It was almost half past nine by the time she left the lab, and she almost didn't come, but decided that one drink wouldn't hurt. "Where are Greg and Nick?" she asks.  
  
"I don't know, they're supposed to be here," he says. "They're working a missing person's with Grissom, guess they got hung up."  
  
Sara nods. She shrugs out of her denim jacket and hangs it on the chair back behind her. The lounge isn't very busy at this hour, and she wonders who chose the location, and why. It's not a very exciting locale, just a regular lounge with a bar of honey colored wood and matching tables, adjacent to the casino floor.  
  
"Why here?" she asks Warrick. He shrugs.  
  
"Sanders wanted to come here. Actually, there's pretty good Mexican food at the Pink Taco Bar, but it's not open until eleven. Maybe he's thinking of sticking around until then." Warrick chuckles as he adds, "Or maybe he's hoping to hook up with you, get a room."  
  
Deciding not to dignify that remark with a comment of her own, she gives him a patented Sara Sidle glare. Warrick just smirks.  
  
"You've been here before? I can't see you here," she comments.  
  
"A friend stayed here," he says by way of explanation.  
  
Warrick's cell phone rings, and he picks it up from its resting place on the table. A server comes and Sara orders a Corona, happy to have an excuse not to listen to Warrick's one-sided conversation. She always feels a little awkward doing that, like she's intruding, though not by choice.  
  
"That was Nick," he says as he hangs up. "They've got a lead on their case, looks like they might end up pulling a double."  
  
"Oh," Sara says somewhat uncomfortably, wishing she hadn't just ordered a drink.  
  
"What, you afraid to be alone with me?"  
  
"Of course not," she says with a grin. "I'm alone with you all the time."  
  
"Not off the clock," he says, resting his elbows on the table and leaning forward, and Sara is a little taken aback. Is he flirting with her? She's always felt like maybe there was an underlying attraction between herself and Warrick, but they've never overtly flirted the way she and Nick do, or the way Greg flirts with her, or even the subtle flirting she once shared with Grissom.  
  
Sara is saved from having to respond by the server bringing her beer. Warrick orders another drink as well, and as he speaks with the server, Sara sits back in her chair and takes a moment to really look at him. She worked side-by-side with him all night, yet if someone had asked her what he'd been wearing, she wouldn't have been able to tell them, and she wonders when she stopped noticing things like that about her co-workers. Some CSI she is.  
  
He looks good. He's wearing a dark blue shirt that compliments his skin tone, and the sleeves are rolled up below his elbow, showing off his forearms. She doesn't know what it is about a man with good forearms, but she finds it incredibly sexy. His are good.  
  
As usual, his shirt is unbuttoned half way down his chest, and that's definitely something she has noticed about him before. He's got a nicely sculpted chest, and he does well to show it off a little. She's surprised, though, that Grissom doesn't call Warrick on his attire being a little less than professional. Of course, some of the outfits that Catherine wears border on risqué as well. And hey, this is Vegas, baby, and the rules that apply to the rest of the world are stretched a little more here.  
  
Sara is roused from her reverie when Warrick asks her what she's staring at.  
  
"Uh... nothing," she says unconvincingly, and Warrick just chuckles and nods. Sara can't help but feel that they're entering into dangerous territory this morning. She takes a big gulp of her beer, seeking both courage and comfort, and maybe buying a little time.  
  
"Does it bother you, being here?" she asks, nodding her head toward the casino floor.  
  
"You've been with me at casinos before," he says, evasively.  
  
"Not off the clock," she says, echoing his earlier sentiment.  
  
He huffs an amused acknowledgement and nods. "A little." He doesn't elaborate, at first, and Sara can tell that it's not easy for him to admit his weakness. "But this is Vegas, there's no getting away from it."  
  
Sara nods seriously, and not for the first time, admires his fortitude. There was a time when she was judgmental of his addiction, but she's grown up a lot since coming to Las Vegas, and she is no longer the self-righteous Sara Sidle she once was.  
  
The server comes back, offering them more drinks. Sara is about to decline, thinking that she should get home and get some sleep, when Warrick orders two shots of tequila. Sara quirks an eyebrow at him, and he shrugs easily, leaning back in his chair.  
  
"I don't feel like going home just yet," he says. "You gonna make me drink alone?"  
  
"No," she says simply.  
  
She can't really say what the catalyst was in the meeting of their lips. All she knows is that one moment they were leaning in close, talking about work with their mouths and sex with their eyes. Now their tongues are entangled, and their hands are roaming over each other's bodies. She pulls away when she feels the brush of his hand under the back of her shirt, and he looks questioningly at her. She glances toward the only other patron in the bar, who is blatantly staring at them, apparently enjoying the show. Understanding, Warrick stands up and offers her his hand. She hesitates momentarily, a thousand thoughts entering her mind, but she takes his hand and lets him lead her out of the bar.  
  
When they reach the hotel check-in counter, Sara leans back against it and tries not to consider the implications of what they're doing. The alcohol in her system brings an easy smile to her face, and she blushes as she glances over to see him staring at her. His gaze is as intense as it is when he's examining a vital piece of evidence, and she wonders what it is about her that demands his scrutiny.  
  
Oh my God, this is Warrick, is running through her mind, slowly becoming drowned out by God, I want Warrick.  
  
When the desk clerk, who Sara couldn't describe if her life depended on it, hands Warrick their keycard, he kisses her again, their bodies pressing tightly together. He guides her backwards, towards what she assumes to be the elevator bank. She's gently backed against a wall and stifles a moan as his body is firmly pressed against his, her centre coming into contact with the bulge in his pants.  
  
Warrick must have pressed the up button, because the elevator dings and he's pushing her into it. Again her back meets the wall and she's glad there's no one else in the elevator with them because she doesn't think she would be able to keep her hands off him. His hands slide down to the backs of her thighs and she feels herself being lifted. She wraps her legs around his waist and presses herself into him, eliciting a deep throated moan that she feels against her throat.  
  
He slides his hands up her sides and under her fitted shirt, his thumbs fingering the lace on the underside of her bra. She inhales sharply and is rewarded by a thrust of his pelvis. Their mouths meet again and Sara runs her hand over his muscular back. When she reaches his waist, she yanks the tucked shirt out, wanting to feel his skin too. She slides her hands around to the front, making space between their bodies to undo the remaining buttons of his shirt. Finishing, she leans down and kisses as much of his chest as she can reach from this position. Warrick lets his head fall back, leaving his beautiful throat exposed to her hungry mouth.  
  
The elevator slows and stops, the bell dinging as an extra indicator that they've reached their floor, and she wonders when he even hit the button. She's glad one of them had the foresight to do it, or they'd never make it out of the elevator, which, come to think of it, could be fun.  
  
Warrick grabs her ass and lifts her away from the wall, keeping her legs wrapped around him. He backs out of the elevator with Sara nibbling on his ear. As the elevator doors close behind them, neither give a thought to the cameras that have been recording their every move.  
  
TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Sara stands rooted to her spot in the doorway to the AV lab as her co-workers stare in shock at the image in front of them.

"What's going on, Sara?" Catherine asks, coming up behind her. The sound of her voice alerts the others to Sara's presence, and they all turn to stare at her in shock. Nick, remote control in hand, has paused the image on screen: Sara with her legs wrapped around Warrick's waist, mouth devouring his neck.

The matching looks on Greg and Nick's faces betray a mixture of shock and amusement, more amusement than shock as the seconds tick by. But while Grissom's expression is also a mixture, amusement is not one of the components. Anger, hurt, confusion, or all three, Sara can't tell. She looks at Catherine, hoping for one ally on the team, but her face mirrors Grissom's.

Sara flees.

She doesn't know where she's going, but she's getting there fast, plowing through the glass maze of laboratories with her head down.

"Sara," a voice calls out to her, an unmistakable voice, and her skin prickles as she remembers the words spoken by that voice earlier.

She stops, but doesn't turn to face him. When he gets close enough that she can feel his presence behind her, she turns to peer over her shoulder at him, yet her gaze still does not meet his eyes. She focuses instead on the v on his chest that his uniform button-down shirt has created.

"They know," she says, almost in a whisper, and resumes her flight from the lab.

"What?" Warrick asks to her retreating form. "Who knows?"

But Sara is unable to answer him, needing to get out of there as quickly as possible. He'll find out soon enough anyway.

Sara sits in the Denali, gripping the steering wheel. She wants to turn off her cell phone, drive away, and forget about her shift. She wants to, but she can't. So she sits here staring as her knuckles whiten, and watches the exit for Warrick and Catherine.

She's surprised when someone knocks on the window, and she wonders how anyone could have gotten by without her noticing. It's Nick and he motions for her to roll down the window.

"Hey," he says.

"Hey," she says, waiting to see what he wants.

"Change in assignments. You're with me and Greg."

"What?" she asks, astonished. "But you're in the middle of a case!"

Nick shrugs and shakes his head, indicating that he's as surprised as he is.

"What about Grissom?" she asks.

"He's taking the DB in the desert with Warrick and Catherine."

"That's insane!" she says as she opens the car door, nearly knocking Nick over in the process. She strides across the parking lot toward the lab, Nick following. "What does he think, that Warrick and I are just going to jump each other if we work together? We were off the clock!"

"I know..."

"And what's wrong with Catherine? What does this even have to do with her?" The angrier Sara gets, the faster she walks.

"Sara," Nick says, grabbing her arm. She shoots him a look of death, but he hangs on. "Just hold on a minute. You have to calm down."

Sara stops but refuses to look at him.

"Look, I agree with you," he continues. "What you and Warrick do on your own time is your business, and Grissom has no right to separate you on the job. I think everyone's just a little surprised, and I guess he's just trying to diffuse the situation."

Sara huffs a mirthless laugh.

"I know," Nick says, holding his hands up in the air. "And as for Catherine, come on, Sara. Don't tell me you've never seen all the flirting that's gone on between her and Warrick all these years. To Warrick it was probably just flirting, but I think maybe Catherine expected it to come to something someday. She's just hurt."

Sara looks at him warily. She didn't realize that Catherine had feelings for Warrick. For a CSI, she misses a lot about the people she works closely with.

"Look, I'm not saying that I agree with the way Grissom has handled this," Nick says, "but maybe it is best to let things cool off for the night. Greg and I have nothing to do with anything, wouldn't it be best to work with us?"

"Probably," Sara agrees begrudgingly.

"Besides," Nick says, putting an arm over her shoulder and guiding her towards the building. "Greg wants to hear all the juicy details."

Sara swats him and grins despite herself.

The rest of the shift goes relatively smoothly. Nick was right, it is easier working with the two people on the team who have nothing more than curiosity invested in the situation. Their curiosity is annoying her to no end, though. Especially Greg, who as far as Sara has ever been able to tell, doesn't have that little sensor that most people have to tell them when they've gone too far.

"So Sara..." Greg says, his tone of voice indicating that he's about to ask another wildly inappropriate question.

"Greg," Nick jumps in as Sara shoots daggers in Greg's direction. Nick signals for him to cut it out, and Greg finally takes the hint.

"I'm so glad shift is almost over," Sara mumbles to herself.

"Me too," says a voice behind her, a deep voice that twenty-four hours ago, was making her tremble with pleasure as it rumbled against her neck.

"Hey," she says, turning toward him. She's surprised that she's so nervous, but it's partially because of the two sets of eyes that are watching them while pretending they're not.

"You wanna go grab some breakfast?" Warrick asks.

"I don't know," Sara says, moving away from Nick and Greg. "I'm kind of tired."

"Me too," Warrick says with a slow smile. "I guess we didn't get much sleep yesterday. But Sara, I think we should talk."

"Yeah," she says, nodding. "Uh, why don't you come over to my place and I'll make breakfast. That way at least I can get into my PJs."

"You sure that's a good idea?" Warrick asks, his voice low, and Sara can't help but think once more how incredibly sexy it is.

"I can handle it if you can," she challenges.

"Alright," Warrick says. Sara starts walking toward the locker room when Warrick grabs her arm. "Sara..."

"Yeah?"

"What kind of PJs?"

Sara stands at her counter, chopping vegetables for the omelets she's going to make. She's not even sure that she and Warrick are really going to eat. They may just talk things through and then he'll leave, but the chopping is giving her hands something to do while her mind is engaged elsewhere. Of course there's always the third option of what they could do this morning, but Sara shakes her head as if the effort will really banish the thought. The third option can't really be an option. The previous morning was unbelievable, and hot, and... Sara sighs. She knows it can't happen again, not with all the trouble it caused at work. And she's sure that Warrick knows it too, despite his innuendo at work.

There's a knock on the door, and Sara moves to open it. She pulls down at her cropped pajama top, suddenly conscious of the sliver of stomach peeking out. She chides herself for being ridiculous, knowing that she's even shown that much stomach while at work in the past. But they're not at work now, and she remembers well what happened the last time they were together outside of work.

She opens the door and sees Warrick leaning against the frame. He's changed his clothes too, and looks sexy as hell in his black jeans and black button-down top. He's got a jug of orange juice dangling from his right hand.

"I'd have brought wine, but I figured we drank enough yesterday morning," he says as he hands it to her.

"I guess we did," Sara says, taking the juice and placing it on the counter. She feels Warrick's presence behind her, and her breath hitches when he places his hands on the counter on either side of her, encircling her in his arms.

"Sara," he says, his voice deep and intimate. "I thought you said your pajamas weren't sexy."

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Sara freezes and tries to stabilize her breathing.

"They're not sexy," she says, trying to keep her voice steady. His presence is exceedingly disarming. "They just show a little..."

"Skin?" he asks. His fingertips skim her waist and he splays his hands against her bare stomach. Sara is no longer able to control her breathing, its pace matching her speeding heart rate.

"Warrick," she says as she leans back against him, her words in direct conflict with her actions, "We can't do this again."

"No?" he asks, bending down to kiss her neck.

Sara turns around to face him. She looks into his eyes and everything she was about to say slips away. His eyes are even more heavily lidded than normal, desire in his heated gaze. His lips are slightly parted, and Sara can't help herself as she's drawn toward them. Their lips meet softly at first, but a fervor takes over and Sara feels herself being lifted up onto the counter behind her. Her breath catches as any space between them disappears, and she feels evidence of Warrick's desire. Her own desire is overpowering, and she wraps her legs around his waist, wanting to get closer, tighter.

"Bedroom?" Warrick asks, economizing his words.

Sara nods and gestures toward it. With her legs still wrapped around his waist, Warrick picks her up and starts walking in the direction she pointed. Sara can't help but muse that this is quickly becoming a trend.

But this time there are no cameras.

Sara lies in her bed, staring at the ceiling. Warrick is asleep behind her, his arm slung over her waist. She's been awake for awhile, pondering the consequences of what they've done. Again.

"Hey," Warrick says, his voice gravelly.

Sara rolls over to face him.

"You didn't hide in the bathroom this time," he said with a grin.

"No," she said, returning his smile. Then, with a serious turn, "But Warrick, I still don't know if this was a good idea. Either time."

"Because of Grissom?" he asks, matching her serious tone.

Sara sighs. She isn't sure how to answer that question because she's not sure she knows the answer herself. It seems like there are a million reasons that they shouldn't do this, and Grissom is only one. Actually, Grissom figures into two reasons. One being that he is their boss and seemingly frowns upon a personal relationship between them. The other reason is a more personal one, and Sara is sure that it's what Warrick is referring to now. She knows that her feelings for Grissom have not exactly been a secret amongst the team, and she knows that there has been speculation about his feelings in return. Sara had given up on him returning her feelings, but seeing his face when he saw the tape of her and Warrick together, she couldn't help but wonder. And she was sure others couldn't either.

"No need to answer, Sara, I can see it written all over your face," Warrick says, sitting up. Back turned to her, he slips his boxers back on and stands to look for the rest of his clothes.

"Warrick..."

"Sara," he interrupts, finding his pants and putting them on. "I don't regret what's happened between us, and I'm gonna lay it all out on the table here. I'm interested in seeing where this goes. I know it's complicated with us working together, but we're both adults here, I think we can handle it. You just have to decide if that's what you want. I know you and Grissom have some unresolved issues..."

Sara snorts at the understatement.

"...and you have to decide if this," he gestures between the two of them, "is what you want."

Sara nods. She's surprised by how blasé he seems, and wonders if there isn't a little bitterness beneath his words. But then he does have his pick of any number of women in Vegas, and maybe he would be able to respect her decision without any ramifications to their working relationship. She doesn't think it would be so easy for her.

Warrick sits back down on the bed beside her.

"I'm gonna head out," he says, "give you time to think."

"Okay," Sara says quietly. He leans over and kisses her softly, his lips lingering against hers for a long moment.

"But Sara," he says, standing back up. "I'm not gonna wait around forever."

Sara lies back down in her bed, watching as he leaves her room, tossing a "See ya" over his shoulder. When she hears her front door open and close, she lets out a long breath she seems to have been holding since Warrick woke up.

What the hell is she supposed to do now?

All she wants to do is to roll over and hide her head under her pillow. She wants to go back to sleep and wake up to find that a resolution has been found for her. She huffs a mirthless laugh and shakes her head at herself. She knows that she is the only person who can resolve this situation. She knows where things stand with Warrick, he's left her with a decision. And Grissom? She knows she has to have a conversation with him, but it's not something she's looking forward to.

Sara decides that whatever's going to happen, no good will come from her lounging in bed all day, so she gets up and heads to the shower. The almost too hot water feels good against the tension that's beginning to form in her body once more. Sex with Warrick left her relaxed and exhausted, but the sensation only lasted until she woke up and started thinking again. She wonders if she thinks too much.

Sara turns the shower off and towels off before slipping her robe on. It's ratty and faded blue, but the comfy terrycloth always makes her feel a little bit better. Her stomach growls as she brushes her hair, and she makes her way to the kitchen to make herself something to eat. As she stands in front of the fridge mulling over her options, she's surprised by a knock at the door. She wouldn't have thought that Warrick would have come back, but maybe he forgot something. She can't think of who else it might be.

When she opens the door, her surprise turns to shock.

"I'm sorry," Grissom says when he sees her state of undress. "This is a bad time."

"It's fine," she says, opening the door wider. "Come in."

Grissom stands there for a moment, looking uncomfortable. Sara raises her eyebrows expectantly. Finally he enters the apartment, looking like he has to force his body against its better judgment.

"I'm sorry," Grissom says, sitting down next to Sara at her breakfast bar. "I should have called first."

"It's just a bathrobe Grissom, it's not like I'm naked."

Grissom blanches, and Sara wonders if it's the image of her naked that upsets him, or the image of her naked with Warrick. She realizes then what a narrow escape she's had. If Grissom had shown up at her door half an hour earlier, Warrick would have still been in her bed.

"That's sort of what I came here to talk to you about."

"About me being naked?" she asks without trying to hide her surprise.

"Well, it relates."

Sara says nothing, waiting for him to continue. He's the one who came to her after all, she'll let him take the lead.

Grissom sighs and rubs his eyes, which draws Sara's attention to his appearance. It doesn't look like he's slept, and Sara feels a twinge of guilt.

"I want to talk to you about Warrick," he says.

"I figured as much."

"I don't think it's a good idea," he says quickly, as if wanting to get the words out while he's courageous enough to say them.

"Why not," she asks in a voice calmer than she feels.

"You work together," he says as if it should be obvious. "These things never work out."

"That's not true," she argues. She isn't so sure herself, but she's not going to let Grissom tell her so.

"Look, Sara, there's no rule against it, but..." he struggles with his words, and Sara doesn't let him off the hook. If this really is about the job and not about their personal relationship, she's not about to make this easy on him. He may be their boss, but he has no right to dictate what happens in their personal lives.

"But what?" She knows her tone is defensive, but she doesn't care.

"Sara, you're obviously not interested in what I have to say." He gets up from the stool and turns toward the door.

"Wait," Sara says, getting up. Grissom stops and turns to face her. "You're right, if you're here to tell me that you don't think I should be involved with Warrick because of the job, I'm not interested."

"And what if there were other reasons?" Grissom asks, not quite meeting her eye.

"What reasons?" she asks quietly.

Grissom looks up at her, his face anguished. He closes the distance between them and kisses her. Sara closes her eyes and leans into the kiss, needing to know if this is right. The kiss is nice, but after so many years of speculation, it's not quite what she thought it would be. The fireworks that she always thought would be there if she were ever to kiss Grissom are surprisingly absent. She can't help but compare the kisses she's shared with Warrick. Kisses that made her head spin. Kisses that made her clutch Warrick's broad shoulders just to keep standing. Mind-blowing, wonderful kisses. She pulls away and looks at Grissom. She's sure that she's completely readable, because his face registers an understanding. She's about to tell him that she's sorry when she hears a noise at the door. She turns in dread, knowing who it must be.

Warrick stands there, his mask of stoicism cracked. Whatever his words before, Sara can tell that he's upset now.

"I guess you've made your decision then," he says as he walks out and slams the door behind him.

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Sara takes a step toward the door before she remembers Grissom's presence and turns back to him. She shakes her head and whispers "I'm sorry."

"Sara," he says, reaching out toward her.

"I have to go after him."

Sara recognizes the look of resignation Grissom wears. She also senses that he can't bring himself to give her his blessing, but as much as she'd like it, she doesn't need it. She turns away from him and hurries out the door hoping to catch Warrick.

"Damn it," she says as she reaches the bottom of the stairs, Warrick's truck leaving a cloud of dust as it pulls out of her parking lot. She would follow him if she was wearing more than her old bathrobe. Of course there's also the matter of Grissom standing in her kitchen. As she's climbing the stairs, Grissom appears at the top. It's fitting. He's the man she's always climbing towards, never reaching. Then along comes Warrick, her competitor, her peer, the man she's walked beside for four years and counting. And though it's been rocky at times, he's become someone she's learned to reach out and hold onto. Grissom has always remained just out of her reach, feeding her morsels of hope, but never letting her get close enough to actually touch him. Now that he wants her, now that he's scared of losing her to another man, it's too late. She's already gone.

When she meets him at the top of the stairs, a smile touches her lips but doesn't quite reach her eyes and she can't help thinking that it's an expression she's mastered in her dealings with him.

"For the record," he says, grasping the metal railing with both fists and looking out over the parking lot, "I still don't think this is a good idea."

"I know," Sara says.

Grissom turns to look at her, looks at her for a long time, regret nearly oozing from him. "Are you sure, Sara?" he asks.

And for a moment she isn't sure. For one last moment, she wonders if she's doing the right thing. She feels the ache of an uncertain future and wonders if she doesn't owe herself the chance to find out if it would work, this thing she's been wanting for so long. But she remembers the kiss they shared minutes earlier, the way she couldn't help but compare him to Warrick, and the moment passes.

"Yes."

Grissom looks away from her and nods. Without another word, he brushes past her and climbs down the stairs. She watches him go with a dull ache, knowing that their relationship will never be the same. In time, she hopes, it will be better. But now she has to focus on repairing another relationship, so she enters her apartment to change her clothes.

Sara tries his house first, and when he's not there, she tries the lab. Though it's probably where she would go if she was trying to take her mind off something, he's not her and he's not there. She finds it sad that she has no idea where to look for him, that she knows so little about him and she only hopes that he'll let her get the chance to learn these things. She tries his cell again, and then tries Nick's. When he doesn't answer, she throws her phone down on her passenger seat in frustration. She pulls a U and drives in the other direction.

Nick answers the door in a pair of plaid pajama bottoms, looking at her curiously.

"I don't know where to look," she says, the tension of everything that's been going on finally getting to her, tears threatening to spill over. "Damn it," she says, wiping furtively at her eyes. She hates letting people see her cry.

"Hey," Nick says, touching her arm. "What's going on?"

Sara doesn't know if she should tell him or not. It wasn't her intention in coming here, she just wanted to know if he could help her find Warrick. She obviously wasn't thinking too clearly, because of course Nick would want to know why. As she's debating whether she should tell him everything, she notices him glancing over his shoulder. He's got someone inside.

"I'm sorry to just show up, Nick," she says. "I'll let you get back to… whatever it was you were doing." She's embarrassed and she's sure it shows.

"I was just sleeping, it's not that," Nick says. "It's just… I don't… oh fuck it. Come in, Sar."

Before she can argue, Nick puts an arm around her and steers her inside. He asks if she wants coffee and heads into the kitchen to make it, pointing her in the direction of the living room. She's not sure who's shocked more when she walks in, her or Greg.

"Hi Greg," she says, confused.

"Sara," he says, drawing out her name. He's sitting on the couch, and despite the fact that his pajama bottoms are adorned with The Nightmare Before Christmas characters, he's dressed quite similarly to Nick.

"You could have warned me," Greg says when Nick walks into the room, balancing three cups of coffee, "I could have been naked."

"Oh," Sara says in understanding.

"Look Sara," Nick says, handing her a hot mug. "We'd appreciate it if you wouldn't say anything. Imagine the fuss surrounding you and Warrick and magnify it by fifty. That's the kind of thing we'd be looking at."

"I won't say anything," she says. "I wouldn't say anything. I'm just…"

"Shocked?" Greg asks.

"Surprised," she counters with a smile, though shocked is probably closer to the truth.

Greg smirks at her. "Speaking of surprise, how's your love life going?"

Sara's smile falters and she sees Nick swat Greg.

"Ow! What?"

Sara tells them what happened, leaving out only the personal details. She can't look at them when she tells them about kissing Grissom, but they don't judge her.

"I'm sure Warrick will understand once you explain everything to him," Greg says.

Sara's not so sure, and she looks at Nick who hasn't said anything. "What do you think, Nick? You know him best."

"I don't know, Sara," Nick says truthfully. "He can be pretty stubborn sometimes, almost as stubborn as you. You have to try, though. I know Warrick can seem kind of casual about things, but he wouldn't have risked tension with Grissom unless he's serious about you."

Sara nods, ignoring the stubborn comment. "I will. Thank you."

Sara leaves with a list of places Nick thinks Warrick might be, and feeling good about her relationship with Nick and Greg. They put a lot of trust in her today, and she marvels at the balance of the universe. Just as her relationship with Grissom becomes even more strained, a bond is strengthened with her two friends. Now she only hopes she can tip the scales in her favour by fixing things with Warrick.

Sara gets in her car and looks at the clock. Shift will be starting in a few hours, and she wonders if she should just wait until then to catch up with Warrick. She doesn't really want to talk to him about this at the lab, but she may not have a choice. He could be anywhere, really. For all she knows, he could be back at his place by now. Or he could have been at home the whole time and just chose not to answer the door. The thought makes her heart sink, and she shakes her head, not allowing herself to believe that Warrick would be so unreasonable.

"Well," she says out loud, starting her car. "Wherever he is, he'll have to go home to change before shift." She starts the car and heads towards Warrick's house, thinking she'll camp out on the doorstep until he gets there or it's time for shift, whichever comes first.

She turns onto Tropicana and creeps along, cursing herself for not taking a quicker route. As she approaches the intersection of Tropicana and Paradise Road, it hits her. She knows where he might be. She cuts someone off as she quickly changes lanes and turns right.

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Sara walks into the Hard Rock Casino, her insecurities making her doubt her initial confidence that Warrick is here. Is it conceited to think he'd go back to the place where they initially got together? That conveys a certain degree of seriousness on his part, and despite what Nick said, Sara's not so sure. Warrick could be with anyone he wants, and Sara has to force away the thought of him forgetting her in the bed of another.

She checks the lounge they sat in for hours the morning before, talking and flirting and kissing and groping. He's not there.

_This is stupid,_ she thinks, and turns to leave. But as she weaves her way through aisles of slot machines, she catches a glimpse of a very familiar lanky frame leaning against the wooden railing that surrounds the centre bar. He's watching a blackjack game in progress and she notes the contemplative look on his face. She wonders if he's fighting the urge to sit down and play a hand or two, and the thought frightens her. She's not sure if she wants to have that amount of influence over him, that her actions would affect him so much. That level of intensity makes her want to turn around and walk out the door, but she doesn't. Instead she forces herself to walk toward him, and when his eyes meet hers, she sees hurt. She recognizes the look, has seen it many times in the mirror after Grissom has once again crushed her hopes, and to see it on someone else, because of her, is hard. But she's willing to push through her fear of intimacy, of letting herself get that close to someone else. Warrick makes her feel special, and sexy, and despite her insecurities, like someone who is worth his time. She hasn't been doing the same, and she hasn't considered what that might do to him.

"Hey," she says as she approaches him.

"Hey," he says, looking back to the blackjack table. His arms are lazily crossed over his chest, but the tension in his shoulders gives away his uneasiness.

"Can we talk?" she asks, reaching up and touching his elbow.

"What's there to say, Sara?" he asks, glancing at her. "You obviously made your decision."

"I'm here, aren't I?"

Warrick looks at her and sighs, then nods in the direction of the Viva Las Vegas Lounge. Familiar territory. They sit down at one of the tables, not the same one as before, but close. Warrick looks at Sara expectantly, and she knows this is her chance to make it up to him.

"You were right," she starts. "Grissom and I had unresolved issues. I had feelings for him that were unresolved. So when he came over and kissed me, I let him. I had to find out, I just had to see…"

"I get it, Sara," Warrick interrupts. "I told you that you had to figure things out, I guess I just didn't think you'd be locking lips with the guy right after I walked out the door. But I'm glad it worked out for you. You got what you wanted."

"I haven't, actually. Not yet."

"What, did he turn around and freeze you out again?" Warrick asks, getting visibly angry. "Don't you get it, Sara? This is his game. You know I respect the man, but I don't get him when it comes to you. It's like a game. You're like a cat chasing a piece of string, and just when you lose interest, he jerks it a little, and you go on chasing."

"Warrick…" she says, putting her hand on his.

"I'm sorry, Sara, it's really none of my business."

"Yes, it is your business. You're right. I shouldn't have kissed him right after you left. It was unfortunate timing, but I'm glad I kissed him, or I would never have known for sure."

He looks at her, skeptical, and she knows she just has to say it.

"I want you, Warrick."

"Tell Grissom I won't be in tonight, would you?" Sara says into the phone. "Never mind, just tell him, okay? I've got a lot of vacation time stored up… Yeah, I found him… Yes, he is off tonight… Nick!... I'm hanging up now… Goodbye, Nick." She puts the phone back on its cradle, blushing furiously. Warrick laughs.

"I can only imagine what he said to make you blush like that." He reaches up and strokes her flaming cheek. "How'd he know you were looking for me?"

She tells him about her little stopover at Nick's, minus the part about Greg being there. For all she knows, he may already know about them, but it's not her place to tell him if he doesn't.

"I'm glad you found me," he says, sliding his hand under the sheets to rest against her bare stomach.

"I'm glad you came back here," she says, looking around the room. "Why did you get a suite this time?" It was beautiful, but it must have cost a fortune.

Leaning up on one elbow, Warrick shrugs. "The standard rooms aren't all that great. Pretty bland."

"I didn't notice," Sara says with a grin. He smirks back.

"Yeah, well we're spending more time here this time."

She runs her fingers up his arm, his skin warm under her touch. "We could have gone to my place, or yours."

"I couldn't wait," Warrick says, leaning in to kiss her neck. He gently pushes her down so that she's lying on her back.

"Yeah," she agrees, closing her eyes as he continues to kiss her neck. She wraps her legs around him, eliciting a moan from him as their bodies press tightly together. "But we can't make a habit of this, you'll go broke."

"We can't make a habit of staying here," he says, leaving her neck and moving on to her ear. "But _this,_" he says, doing something with his hips that makes her gasp. "This we can make a habit of."

"Oh yeah."

Sara walks down the hall toward the break room, nervously sipping the latte she picked up on her way in. She dreads seeing Grissom. Calling in last night probably did little to ease the tension between them, but she knows that it will be some time before they can really begin to mend their relationship anyway. She needed a night's reprieve, regardless of what Grissom may think.

Nick and Greg are leaning against the counter when she walks in, talking in low tones. They don't notice her at first, and she wonders that she never picked up on their relationship before. Greg says something and Nick's hand twitches toward him before it clenches into a fist, and Sara can tell that he's mindful of not touching Greg at work. It's a trick she'll have to get him to teach her, because while her relationship with Warrick is out in the open, they still want to keep it away from the job as much as possible.

"Hey Sara," Greg says, noticing her standing there.

"Hey," she says, smiling.

"You look a lot better today," Nick says with a knowing grin. Sara blushes and he just laughs. Sara sits down at the table, Nick and Greg joining her. Greg starts telling her about Hodges's lame attempt to hit on Mia, making her laugh and keeping her mind off things. But it's only a few minutes before someone else enters the room, and Sara can feel the tension before she even looks up.

"Hi Catherine," she says, attempting a conciliatory smile.

"Sara," Catherine says, taking a seat next to Greg though Sara is the sole occupant of her side of the table. Not knowing where else to look, Sara stares out the door into the hall. So when Grissom rounds the corner and walks toward them, she's looking right at him. He meets her eyes but quickly looks away, studying the folder in his hands as he shuffles down the hall.

He still doesn't look at her as he enters the break room and moves to the counter to pour himself a cup of coffee. Sara feels uncomfortable, and she wishes Nick or Greg would say something to ease the tension. She looks down at the latte in her hands, and for a brief moment, wonders if any of this is worth it.

"Hey." Warrick's deep voice breaks the silence as he walks in the room and sits down beside Sara. She looks at him, and when their eyes meet, her doubts are cast aside. It's worth it. He's worth it. For the first time in her life, she's with a man who makes her happy, and she hopes she does the same for him. Work might be a little uncomfortable for a while, but she doesn't have to face it alone. Warrick is right here beside her, and as if reading her thoughts, he squeezes her knee once under the table before crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back, waiting for assignments.

Catherine looks annoyed, frankly, but resigned, and Grissom looks as enigmatic as ever. She glances at Warrick, and he winks at her. She looks at Greg, who is stealing a sideways glance at Nick.

_Yeah,_ she thinks, _everything's going to be all right._

"Okay," says Grissom, "let's get to work."

END

A/N: Thank you so much to everyone who's read and reviewed this, your comments have meant so much to me. And the biggest of thanks to Jeanine for being an amazing beta. You rock.


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